Aruanas

Also Called: Arrowana, Arowana, Silver Arowana, Green Arowana, Arawana, Arowhana

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum

Our Aruana died within the last few days. It was very young, no more than 3-4 months old. We had it in a 10 gallon tank with community fish such as Tetras, a Kuhli Loach, a Cory Cat, some Guppies and a Goldfish. We thought it would be safe enough there. Much safer than it would be, for instance, in the tank with the Oscars. It appears one of the Tetras mistook the Aruana's distinctive barbels for live worms and tried to eat them. The resulting wound to the Aruana's mouth proved fatal. A portion of the thin membrane of the lower jaw was torn away with the barbel, preventing the Aruana from getting a proper flow of water over its gills.

We are not discouraged, and we have placed an order through our supplier for a replacement Aruana. I will continue with the content of this page as the new arrival begins to share some observable behavior with us.

The Aruana is indigenous to the Amazon River drainage in Brazil and its adjacent countries. It has changed imperceptibly since its earliest known appearance during the Mesozoic Era. Its birth size is less than two inches in length. The fry have a yolk sac attached from which they draw nourishment during their first weeks of development. The Aruana grows rapidly and can reach eight to nine feet in length in the wild. It has two "barbels" attached to the lower lip of its exageratedly large mouth. The barbels are very sensitive and are used to detect minute vibrations in the water caused by insects or small fish. The Aruana feeds at or above the surface of the water. They are capable of jumping up to six feet out of the water to take insects, small birds and bats from branches overhanging the water. The scientific name, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, refers to the bony tongue that is shared by the Aruana and a few other prehistoric species of fish.

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Gary Churchman
garydebc@silcom.com

Copyright © 1997 Gary Churchman
This page was created Friday, March 14, 1997
Most recent revision Wednesday, July 2, 1997

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